Armina Soleymani, an international student at the University of Waterloo, says she fell victim to a rental scam and wants to warn other students.
Soleymani said she began searching for a new rental unit near the university about two months ago in order to secure a place before her current lease expires Aug. 31.Earlier this month, she found an online listing from someone calling themself a tenant through a Facebook group that's popular among students. The woman said she wanted to sublet a unit at a building on Columbia Street West in Waterloo. Soleymani arranged an in-person appointment to meet with the woman on Aug. 6.
Soleymani said the woman gave her a key, which turned out to be fake, and was told it would work on the move-in day, so there was no opportunity to try it out beforehand to see if it would gain her access to the building. Multiple reports of rental fraud in the area of the University of Waterloo are being investigated, Waterloo Regional Police Service officers say.Soleymani said she immediately reached out to local police and campus administration.
Police are now looking for a female suspect, about 5-foot-2, with long brown hair. Anyone with information is encouraged to come forward or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 orThe University of Waterloo says it is aware of Soleymani's situation and is doing what it can to help.
So sorry for this terrible experience for you.